Yellow Card: Term Limits

TERM LIMITS

“Will you work to pass and ratify a Constitutional Amendment establishing term limits for Congress?”

Background

The Founders never envisioned a Permanent Ruling Class. They envisioned a legislature of “citizen legislators” who would serve no more than a few terms, then return to their previous lives.

The connection is clear: The longer you stay, the greater the chance you’ll vote for higher spending and taxes.

Too many Members of Congress come to Washington thinking it’s a cesspool, and find out it’s a hot tub. They get seduced by the corruption of the Capital City, and forget they came to represent their constituents to Washington; instead, they begin to represent Washington to their constituents.

Because of gerrymandering and the advantages of incumbency, even in a wave election like 2010 or 2014, more than 80 percent of incumbents are still reelected.

Establishing term limits has been a wildly popular idea for 25 years now.